Lifestyle Habits For Beautiful Skin
Our skin is one of the most vulnerable parts of our body. Consistently exposed to the elements, it endures everything we experience throughout the day. Just as our minds seek nourishment and our bodies relish exercise, our skin requires essential ingredients to keep it bright, resilient, and glowing.
Finding a skincare routine can work wonders in reviving skin and resolving skin concerns that arise with age. However, pairing this with healthy behaviours can be the secret ingredient to a healthier, smoother, and more radiant complexion. So, how can our lifestyles help revive our skin and restore balance?
11 Healthy Lifestyle Tips for Better Skin
1. Get Your Eight Hours of Sleep
Forget 40 winks, your skin deserves a full night's rest. Eight hours of sleep every night is the recommended amount, but it is also about quality as well as quantity. While we rest, our skin works to rebuild collagen and skin cells, as well as repair damage caused by UV exposure. Without a good night’s sleep, our skin remains stressed, which can lead to breakouts, irritation and tension.
Start by introducing a calming bedtime routine. Turn your screens off an hour before bed. Spend time tending to your skincare routine, and with a calming scent, our bath and body oil promotes a peaceful night's sleep! Include soft music or your favourite book to take relaxation to the next level.
2. Always Apply SPF
Wherever you are, sunscreen should be an essential in your makeup bag and an important step in your morning skincare routine. Even if you apply nothing else to your skin, SPF is a must all year round, UV rays are still present, even on cloudy days. Our Smart Screen SPF 50 Moisturiser is the perfect way to protect and nourish your skin daily. This lightweight, vegan, and fragrance-free formula is enriched with powerful ingredients like Pollustop® and Aquaceria, shielding the skin from sun damage, blue light, and pollution. With Provitamin B5 and Vitamin E, it helps to soothe and hydrate for flawless, protected skin throughout the year.
Although sun exposure helps support Vitamin D production, too much can cause serious harm. Ultraviolet rays are incredibly damaging, leading to burning, dryness, pigmentation, and irritation. Long-term exposure can also break down collagen and skin cells, weakening skin structure and, in severe cases, increasing the risk of skin cancer.
3. Stay Hydrated
Ideally, adults should drink two to three litres of water a day. This may seem a lot, but your skin and body will soak up the benefits. Consistent levels of water keep our bodies hydrated, fuel us with energy, and help improve normal bodily functions.
Water is also known to promote better, clearer skin, helping it appear brighter and fuller, and helping reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. This is an easy habit to start today by always having a bottle of water nearby.
Finding a good stainless steel reusable water bottle can make all the difference. Not only is it a great visual reminder to stay hydrated, but it's also a more sustainable choice, helping to reduce plastic waste and your environmental footprint. Durable, refillable, and better for both your skin and the planet, it’s a small swap with a big impact.
4. Eat Your Fruit & Vegetables
The quickest way to fuel your skin with goodness is through eating natural, healthy ingredients. Fruit and vegetables are packed with key vitamins, nutrients, minerals and natural antioxidants that protect our skin from the inside out.
You can have fun with your diet, too, by finding tasty recipes to incorporate at least five servings of fruit and vegetables daily. Try strawberry or orange smoothies to soak up Vitamin C, which supports collagen production and gives your skin a healthy glow. Add nuts, seeds, and beans for extra zinc, known to help repair skin and control inflammation. Serve up oily fish for a dose of Vitamin D, which supports skin cell turnover and barrier function, and omega-3 fatty acids, which deeply hydrate the skin and reduce the appearance of fine lines and dryness.
5. Monitor Your Stress Levels
Cortisol is the stress hormone in our bodies. When our cortisol levels are too high, we see the effects in our bodies and visibly on our skin. Chronic stress can result in numerous issues, from skin rashes and irritation to excessive sweating, digestive problems, headaches, and even hair loss.
To reduce the impact of stress on your skin, take a moment to pause and breathe. Find ways to ease anxieties, whether that’s taking a walk, meditating, talking to a friend or loved one, or even soaking in the bath with a relaxing face mask.
6. Exercise Every Day
One way to support your skin’s health is through regular exercise. 20 to 30 minutes of exercise every day can be enough to help your skin glow. When we exercise, our heart rate increases, allowing blood to circulate through our bodies and deliver more oxygen and nutrients to vital organs, muscles, and skin. It also helps boost our metabolism by breaking down food and releasing more energy, which aids in skin cell regeneration and the removal of harmful toxins.
If you’re exercising outdoors, don’t forget to protect your skin. Wearing SPF is essential year-round to shield against UV rays and environmental stressors. A simple pre- and post-workout routine can help keep your skin looking and feeling its best.
7. Look for the Right Vitamins
Many vitamins help our bodies function effectively. But there are a few key vitamins that help improve skin concerns, such as dullness and pigmentation, fine lines and wrinkles and leave us with beautiful skin:
Vitamin C encourages the growth, repair and development of cells for brighter skin. It also enhances collagen absorption for a fuller and smoother appearance.
Vitamin A protects our skin against UV damage. It also encourages collagen and skin cell production, which helps reduce wrinkles and leaves our skin looking youthful.
Vitamin D helps our skin’s immune system, which speeds up recovery and rebuilds its strength and resilience.
Vitamin E has anti-inflammatory and skin-healing properties, which can ease many skin concerns and irritations.
These vitamins can be absorbed both through your diet and topical skincare. Applying them directly to the skin can target specific concerns more quickly, while nourishing your body with vitamin-rich foods helps build skin health from within. For the most radiant results, it's worth combining both approaches, see tip 4 to find out how to do just that through what you eat.
8. Wash Off The Day
This is not only a great way to wind down and relax before enjoying those eight hours of sleep, but cleansing your face at the end of the day also removes any dirt, sweat or make-up. If left, oil, dirt and grease can clog your pores, leading to breakouts and dullness. A clean face helps support your skin's natural overnight renewal process, allowing it to repair and regenerate more effectively while you sleep.
As part of your bedtime routine, thoroughly wash and cleanse your face with a nourishing face wash. Use our Cleansing Balm to gently remove any makeup before cleansing and toning your face. You can also apply our Calm & Soothe Facial Oil, rich in essential oils, before applying a nourishing face moisturiser.
9. Clean Your Makeup Brushes
If you choose to apply makeup, make sure it is still within its date of use. Typically, makeup that is more than three to six months old, especially liquid products, should be disposed of. Not all products expire at the same rate, so it’s important to check the Period After Opening (PAO) symbol found on all cosmetic products sold in the UK. This small jar icon, usually on the back of the packaging, indicates how long the product is safe to use after it’s been opened—for example, "12M" means it should be used within 12 months. Make a note of when you first open a product to ensure you're using it safely and effectively.
But more importantly, the way we apply our makeup can make a massive difference to our skin. Makeup brushes are the most hygienic way to apply your makeup, but they easily absorb oils, minerals and moisture, which creates a breeding ground for bacteria. Makeup brushes should be cleaned every two weeks with a mild shampoo. This will help your brushes last longer, make makeup application easier, and leave you with clearer skin.
10. Make More “Me Time”
When life seems a little hectic, the best thing you can do for yourself and your skin is to stop, rest, and relax. Carving out time to give your skin the care and attention it deserves will do wonders. As well as support your well-being needs. Whether it’s a Sunday night pamper session or an evening ritual, giving your skin an extra dose of whatever it needs can help you create the beautiful skin you deserve.
11. Avoid Skin-Damaging Habits
Although we have the best intentions to live a healthy, balanced life, it doesn’t always work out. Exposure to pollution, digital screens and fast foods is constant. But if we can do enough to minimise the impact of unhealthy behaviours, such as smoking, alcohol consumption, or overeating sugary or fatty foods, we can give our skin the helping hand it needs. With the right products for our skin types, a good skincare routine, and a balanced lifestyle, our skin can often heal itself.
View the Elemental Skincare Range
We have designed a range of naturally nourishing products to enrich your skincare routine, resolve common skin concerns, and help you fall back in love with your skin.